THE BOOM IS BACK.
Collier County property values are busting pre-Recession records.
Good news if you’re already a homeowner. Bad news if you’re among the increasing number of mid-level employees and professionals priced out of the local housing market.
Lawyers, white men and the media.
As a culture, we’ve made them some of our favorite targets nowadays. We habitually nail them to the barn door and blaze away, just for fun.
When I say “we,” I don’t mean you jokesters and fun-lovers. I mean people who lower judgment on the species because they don’t like some of the individuals.
Our pets are part of our families — humans love their dogs, cats, snakes, chickens, birds, ferrets, horses — well, all the varieties of animals that love us unconditionally.
Show how much you love your pets by entering the Florida Weekly pet photo contest for our annual Pet Lovers edition.
With the left feverishly attempting to squash unwelcome speech on college campuses, with the president of the United States musing about tightening libel laws, with prominent liberals asserting that so-called hate speech is not protected by the First Amendment, free speech in America at least has one reliable friend —
Two years ago, representatives from almost every nation around the world came together to tackle global warming at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The United States and China led the negotiations. Both bore the brunt of responsibility for the convention’s success.
During May, 629,321 passengers traveled through Southwest Florida International Airport, an increase of 3.7 percent compared to May 2016. This number also represents the best May in the 34-year history of RSW.
Year-to-date, passenger traffic is up 1.4 percent from the same period last year.
More Americans will travel this Independence Day than ever before, according to a AAA forecast that says 44.2 million Americans (2.3 million Floridians) will take to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways — an increase of 1.3 million Americans (103,000 Floridians) from last year’s holiday.
David Lawrence Center has received a $150,000 grant from the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation to incorporate more comprehensive, holistic services for children and adolescents residing in the eight-bed inpatient children’s crisis stabilization unit.
It’s turtle time in Southwest Florida — and elsewhere. Every night through August, female loggerheads and the occasional green turtle will lumber their way up our sandy shores to deposit a veritable treasure trove of leathery eggs. While 2017 was a boom year for nests here and across Florida, this year isn’t turning out to be too shabby in comparison.
The David Lawrence Center is a not-for-profit provider of behavioral health solutions dedicated to inspiring and creating life-changing wellness for every individual.
The Naples Orchid Society invites members and guests to hear about the latest research on Florida native orchids when the society meets on Thursday, July 6, at Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Drive. Doors open and flower registration begins at 6:30 p.m., flower judging is at 7:10 p.m. and the program starts at 7:45 p.m.
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples holds the fifth annual Castles for Kids sand-sculpting competition Wednesday, Aug. 2, at LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort. Participation is limited to the first 20 teams to sign up.
Literacy Volunteers of Collier County seeks volunteer tutors for the coming school year. The Children and Parents Reading Together program takes place in Head Start schools in Collier County. CPRT tutors work with the child’s parents and the child to help the child be ready to enter kindergarten.
Here’s where Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies will be on traffic detail the week of July 3-7:
Monday, July 3
U.S. 41 East and Commercial Drive: Red-light running
Golden Gate Parkway and 44th Street SW: Aggressive driving
Collier Boulevard and Tuscany Cove Drive: Speeding
Litigious around the world
Seventeen-year-old Lauren Burton was laid up in bed at NCH North in December when the world outside lit up red, white and blue.
¦ The Naples area Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation support group meets from 5-6 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month at Naples Regional Library, 650 Central Ave. The next meeting is July 6. All whose lives are affected by inflammatory bowel disease are welcome to join the discussion facilitated by gastroenterologist Raymond Phillips.
Breastfeeding is not only healthy for babies, it may also reduce a mother’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke later in life, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
VITAS Healthcare invites the public to a free screening of the documentary “Being Mortal” from 3-5 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, at Naples Regional Library, 650 Central Ave.
Lighthouse of Collier Center for Blindness and Vision Loss invites all who are blind or visually impaired to attend a support group from 10-11:30 a.m. every Wednesday at the center, 2685 Horseshoe Drive in Naples. Facilitator Rick Hart encourages attendees to share the challenges they face and the techniques they find helpful in managing those challenges.
THE WINE WORLD IS A BIG PLACE, and it churns with dozens of issues that drive people crazy. Of all the topics that are grounds for spirited and sometimes bitter debate, the issue of wine ratings is at the top of the list.
The Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida presents a unique photographic exhibit this summer on the theme of Holocaust memory.
There’s a third option.
But nobody took it because nobody thinks it can happen. Nobody believes it’s realistic. Or practical. Or profitable.
Options one and two: Sell arms to almost anybody who wants to buy them (that’s one), or don’t sell some arms to some people sometimes, unless they make nice and quit bombing civilians this week (that’s two).
The amplitude of the chaos in Washington dominates current events. You may be forgiven if you missed some of the news coming out of Tallahassee. For example, during Florida’s regular 2017 legislative session, the state Legislature passed a bill into law to “protect religious expression and freedom in public schools.”
The Trump administration has been exhaustingly eventful, but almost none of the events have involved Congress.
“Wine is a very personal, sensory experience that is heavily influenced by one’s own preferences and perspectives. In addition to sight, smell and taste, other factors contribute to the experience including the temperature of the wine and even one’s mindset. For me, it’s truly a taste adventure … I enjoy a super Tuscan paired with our single-origin dark chocolates.
Bucking expectations, the Naples- Immokalee-Marco Island metropolitan statistical area maintained its ranking as the most diverse workforce in the state of Florida, according to a quarterly report issued by Florida Gulf Coast University’s Industry Diversification Project. The report ranks the MSA at the top for the third quarter in a row.
It was all pomp and circumstance (and cake and balloons) as 18 proud youngsters became the first graduates of the fulltime 4-year-old class in the Bright Beginnings preschool and family literacy program at Grace Place for Children and Families.
The tomato grower Lipman recently awarded $13,500 in college scholarships to several 2017 graduates of Immokalee High School. Awards ranged from $500 to $2,000.
Students were required to fill out an extensive application, as well as submit high school transcripts, financial information and an essay in order to be considered for the scholarships.
A pilot project of the FutureMakers Coalition will address the foundational skills that were identified by local employers as barriers to hiring from the local workforce.
Advertisers are coming for you
On May 31, Veterans Administration Secretary David Shulkin delivered his first “State of the VA” address highlighting the activity and direction of the agency since his appointment in February. The address covered a wide range of topics, including health-care access, community care and the Veterans Choice Program, accountability and the quality of care provided to veterans.
¦ The Collier Building Industry Association holds its summer golf tournament Friday, Aug. 4, at Tiburon Golf Club. The 830 a.m. shotgun start will be followed by lunch and an awards ceremony. Registration is $150 for CBIA members, $250 for others. Sponsorships are available. Proceeds benefit the Collier Building Industry Foundation scholarship fund.
Scientists have identified a rare genetic mutation that results in a markedly increased susceptibility to infection by human rhinoviruses (
¦ Collier Senior Resources and VITAS Healthcare are starting a grief support group and invite those who are interested to provide input about scheduling and topics during a meet-and-greet at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, at the Golden Gate Senior Center.
Having purpose, worthwhile work and making a difference are three characteristics of the noble professions characterized by having beneficiaries’ interests placed above one’s own.
To adopt or foster a pet
Chuck was diagnosed with a loud heart murmur when he was 6 years old, but the black-and-tan cavalier’s heart wasn’t enlarged, and he didn’t need any medication to control the condition. That changed last fall, when the then-10-year-old dog started coughing.
YOU HAVE TO PAY, OFTEN A LOT, TO GO TO COLLEGE OR university. But now that can pay off from the get-go if you’re a student at Florida Gulf Coast University. And you have a good idea.
There are times when I feel certain we’d be better off if Mark Zuckerburg had left Facebook to the youngsters.
For state leaders who tout jobs and the economy first, the fumble appears huge.
On the Tuesday after Memorial Day, Dr. Barry Gordon stayed busy seeing patients who qualified or might qualify to use medical marijuana under Florida’s new program.
Gen. George S. Patton Jr. would have detested Donald J. Trump given the very different temperaments, talents and moral compasses of these men, in my view. But when I said it in a column ( Florida Weekly, May 31, “George Patton’s politics”), the notion was greeted with howls of rage.
From Susan:
So, imagine for a moment, America is great again and the pre-Obamacare days are back. How bad could that be?
In the new “Wonder Woman” movie, the heroine is mystified by the ways of humankind — and she doesn’t even read the internet.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank will distribute 80,000 units of OFF! mosquito repellent through August to those in need throughout its service area of Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties.
The Collier Mosquito Control District continues to see high numbers of salt marsh mosquitoes through its surveillance program and is scheduling missions to control the aggressive biters.
Southwest Florida residents and visitors of all ages and persuasions are invited to the first Naples Pride from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at Cambier Park. The “We Are ONE” theme encourages the community to recognize the importance of equal rights for every individual no matter their gender identity, sexual preference, race, ethnicity or religion.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank is launching the Care & Share: Senior Feeding Campaign, a $1.1 million program aimed at feeding more than 2,200 low-income seniors in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties.
A Collier County deputy who spent 17 months recovering after a fleeing suspect struck him with his vehicle in 2006 is now among the nearly 2,000 law enforcement officers who credit their survival in part to a type of ballistic vest they were wearing at the time.
The new power nap
Hurricane season started June 1 and runs through November. Preparation is key to protecting your family, home and pets should a storm threaten Southwest Florida. Here are some important things to know, offered by the North Collier Fire & Rescue District:
At Guadalupe Center’s recent celebration dinner, 25 Immokalee High School seniors in the center’s Tutor Corps program crossed the stage at Grey Oaks Country Club to be congratulated on being the first generation in their family to graduate high school and go on to college.
The fifth annual “Big Impressions by Little Artists” for Collier Child Care Resources generated more than $110,000 to help CCCR provide tuition assistance for the children of working families who cannot afford the early education. CCCR operates four early learning programs in Collier County and serves approximately 300 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years annually.
Here’s where Collier County Sheriff’s Office traffic deputies will be June 19-23:
Monday, June 19
Logan Boulevard and Pine Ridge Road: Aggressive driving
Rattlesnake Hammock and County Barn roads: Speeding
Radio and Livingston roads: Red-light running
Tuesday, June 20
Your digestive system is busy. When you eat something, your food takes a twisty trip that starts with being chewed up and ends with you going to the bathroom. A lot happens in between. The health of your gut plays a key role in your overall health and well-being. You can make choices to help your body stay on tract.
Avow presents a series of free presentations about the role of palliative care in treating various chronic diseases. All are welcome to attend at Avow headquarters, 1223 Whippoorwill Lane in Naples. Here’s the schedule:
Lighthouse of Collier Center for Blindness and Vision Loss invites all who are blind or visually impaired to attend a support group from 10-11:30 a.m. every Wednesday at the center, 2685 Horseshoe Drive in Naples. Facilitator Rick Hart encourages attendees to share the challenges they face and the techniques they find helpful in managing those challenges.
Local business owners are invited to learn how they can support employee health, improve productivity, decrease turnover and reduce health-care costs by becoming a Blue Zones Project Approved worksite. The third annual Blue Zones Worksite Summit in Southwest Florida takes place from 8:45 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 21, at Heritage Bay Country Club.
An eight-state outbreak of canine influenza is causing dog-show exhibitors to keep their dogs home and the American Kennel Club to advise judges that exhibitors should display the dogs’ teeth themselves. Pet dogs are at risk if they frequent dog parks or other areas where dogs come in contact with each other.
FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, CHRIS WINTER HAS SEEN A number of renters living at the little two-bedroom house on 93rd Avenue North in Naples Park that he affectionately calls “Granny’s house” because of the original owner. First there was Granny herself, then two Harley- Davidson engineers and a woman.
[img_assist|nid=285703|title=|desc= Arlene Goldberg and Susan Christiano, vice president and president, respectively, of the new Southwest Florida Harmony Chamber of Commerce.
Yes, you, with the children or grandchildren.
If you think the world will saunter along whistling “Dixie” and giving them the same waterfront Florida bliss you’ve come to expect, you might be right.
To the Editor:
To the Editor:
So Congressman Rooney doesn’t like zombies, and the rest of us must suffer. In his letter to Lydia Black (published in Florida Weekly, May 24) the Congressman cites $60,000 in federal funding for a play about zombies as a rationale for cutting out all governmental spending on the arts.
For the past couple of years, the most important word in American politics has been the worst — “rigged.”
The Jewish Federation of Collier County, New Hope Ministries, Moorings Park and Temple Shalom present the Israel Scouts Friendship Caravan in three free performances to which all are welcome:
¦ 7 p.m. Monday, June 19, at New Hope Ministries, 7675 Davis Blvd.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reminds the public to be aware that black bears, the state’s largest land mammal, become more active this time of year.
